


Of the Eighth of December and Charity Work

by Thegreenofyoureyes



Series: Christmas Fics 2015 [8]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Homophobia, Humor, M/M, comedic homophobia, why am i like this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-08
Updated: 2015-12-08
Packaged: 2018-05-05 19:20:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5387360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thegreenofyoureyes/pseuds/Thegreenofyoureyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they reached the little sage house on the very end of the dead-end street they were finishing up, it was Luke’s turn to knock. The house was, admittedly, slightly ominous. It was not well lit for 5 pm, and all the Christmas decorations had either fallen over or had pieces missing. Beyond that, the curtains, yellow with purple roosters on them, looked as if they had been pointedly drawn to make people want to leave. It was their job though, and maybe the owner was a nice old lady who cared a lot about women’s shelters. </p><p>Or, Luke and Ashton go door-to-door selling wrapping paper for charity, and something goes awry. It's all good, though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of the Eighth of December and Charity Work

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on the w i l d stories of @Tanniri on Tumblr's (my lovely beta reader) neighbor. Day 8 done, and it's a little different and a little strange.

Ashton had signed them up for three nights total of door-to-door service. They were volunteering for their town’s local women’s shelter, collecting money in turn for wrapping paper. Truthfully, three nights didn't feel like enough when the third came, but as poor fresh-out-of-college-students, they couldn't afford an actual donation. 

It was fun too, even. In spite of the cold, and the snow that joined them on the third day, December 8th, they had had a good time, and people were being nice to them. The town was medium-sized, almost a small city, which meant that the people were nice for the most part, but ultimately strangers. 

When they reached the little sage house on the very end of the dead-end street they were finishing up, it was Luke’s turn to knock. The house was, admittedly, slightly ominous. It was not well lit for 5 pm, and all the Christmas decorations had either fallen over or had pieces missing. Beyond that, the curtains, yellow with purple roosters on them, looked as if they had been pointedly drawn to make people want to leave. It was their job though, and maybe the owner was a nice old lady who cared a lot about women’s shelters. 

Turns out, nice old lady was two-for-three correct. She had wild bangs, sticking straight up from her head, and a dirty grey color. Her dress was a monotone dark green color, with an unwashed apron over it. So, old and lady were totally accurate. Nice however…

“What could you possibly be bothering me for?” She asked, with a crude tone. It actually made Luke jump a bit. 

“Uh, well, ma’am, Ronson’s Woman’s shelter is doing its annual wrapping paper sale. The paper is all environmentally sustainable, totally recycled, and beautiful, if I do say so myself. It's only $7, and all the proceeds go to the shelter. Would you like to buy some?” Luke asked, remaining as calm as looking at a face like the old lady’s would allow. 

“It's a woman's shelter. What are you men doing selling things for them? That's woman’s work,” she replied. 

“Well, ma’am” Ashton answered, “it's for charity, you see? Christmas spirit, and all that. And there's really no such thing as “women's work”, especially when it comes to charity.”

“Nonsense!” She yelled, the spittle falling off of her lip and into Ashton’s eye “what are you, homosexuals?”

He couldn't help himself. He really, really couldn't. 

“Yes, actually,” Ashton replied, “we are. Been together four years, now.”

“And it's been wonderful,” Luke added, pulling Ashton into his shoulder “I've never been more in love.”

To say the lady’s face was disgusted would be an understatement. Her beady little blue eyes looked up at them with what had to be the most hilariously unfiltered hatred either young man had ever seen, and they had seen their share. Of course, it was mostly hilarious because she was probably 4’11”, 100 pounds soaking wet. Either of them could win a fight with her just by falling on top of her. And, put simply, they were more than slightly confrontational, so they decided not to leave just yet. 

“Of course you are,” she yelled shrilly “only the Gays would do this sort of thing to me. You people are ruining our country. If only Bush had won instead of Kerry, everything would be better, and you sinners would be in jail where you belong.”

Honestly, Ashton almost burst out laughing. 

“Ma’am, with all due respect, Bush did win instead of Kerry. He got the presidency. And yet, here we are. Openly gay and not in prison,” he said, stepping back in anticipation of more spit upon her reply. 

“Listen,poof, don't you *dare* try to tell me about the politics of my country. You won't win. I know more in my left ear than your little brain could ever hold.”

Luke actually did burst out laughing. 

“Right, well, we’re sorry for getting off topic ma’am,” he said “can we put you down for two rolls, then? There is an LGBT pride one for an additional 2 dollars. It sparkles!”

And yeah, maybe that was a mistake. Her eyes absolutely set on fire, as she reached to grab Ashton’s collar. He ducked back in time, instincts screaming at him *good lord do not touch her*. 

“How dare you?” She screamed, causing a mother and daughter across the street to come outside and watch the show “you come to my property? Threaten to contaminate me with your sinning? Try to sell me your Satan paper for your weak little charity? Who do you think you are?”

“Good people?” Ashton asked, already posed to run. 

“I will call the police on you! I will! Get off my property right now, or I'll see you in prison!” She then slammed the door, before promptly making her way to the window and staring at them as they ran a safe enough distance away. They didn't notice, however that she was, in fact, pulling a phone out. 

“Holy shit,” Luke said, his laughter tinted with a slight fear “it's 20 goddamn 15. I didn't even think people like that were real anymore!”

“Do you think she’d actually call the cops on us?” Ashton asked, grabbing onto his boyfriend’s sweater. He was laughing too. 

“Maybe? I don't know. Does it matter? We left when she asked us too. It's not like we’ve done anything wrong existing in her presence and being gay.”

“You think I should've told her that I'm non-binary?” Ashton asked, pushing up his glasses, before pulling Luke to continue onto the house that held the mother and the little girl.

“I dunno? I'm not sure someone that thinks Kerry won the election could handle the concept of a demi-boy, if I'm honest. You may have taken our crime from trespassing to negligent homicide.”

They knocked on the door, a thick red door in front of a much nicer looking house, and it was answered startlingly quickly. 

“I'm so sorry for her,” the woman stared. She looked to be about middle age, and very kind-hearted “she's not the whole street. I promise we’re not all like that. There's a couple, 238? They're lesbians. I promise she's not all of us.”

“We didn't think she was,” Ashton replied, “honestly you all seem like very nice people. We should've left when it got a bit heated, but we didn't. Would you like to buy some wrapping paper? It's only $7, high quality, and all the proceeds go to Ronson’s Woman’s shelter.”

“Yes, God, of course. I'd love to. Let's say, like, 3 rolls? I'll even do one of the LGBT ones, actually. Thank you so much. You know, it's actually really nice of you to do thi--” but he was cut off by the sound of sirens. 

A squad car stopped just in front of them, and two officers walked up the walkway tentatively. They looked very clearly at Luke and Ashton, before deciding to speak. 

“So, you two weren't harassing Ms. Smith, were you?” One officer asked, looking a little sympathetic and a lot tired. 

“No sir,” the woman at the door replied “they were just trying to sell her some wrapping paper. She took it a little far. Not their fault at all. I watched the whole thing.”

“Any idea why she reacted like she did?” The other asked. 

“Because we’re gay. It came up somehow, and she didn't take kindly to it,” Luke said bluntly.

“Alrighty. Sorry about the inconvenience. I figured it wasn't anything, but we had a car in the neighborhood, and we had to come. Are you two alright?”

“Yeah, we’re fine,” Ashton said, “we may have taken it a little too far ourselves, honestly.”

“I can understand that. She calls us about three times a week, with various complaints that make no sense. We have to check them, but at some point it's a bit ‘the boy who cried wolf’,  
You know? In any event, we’ll be going now.”

“Oh I'm sure,” Luke replied “have a nice night, officers. And happy holidays!”

“You too, boys. Hope you sell a lot of paper. If you come down to 6th and Spruce, I'm sure you'd make a killing.”

They drove off, waving, and Luke and Ashton turned back to the woman at the door. 

“God, I'm so sorry about all this,” she said, pulling out her wallet “and I want you to know that I'm not doing this out of pity. Mostly. I have a little daughter, and I need some wrapping paper. You're doing a good thing here. You really really are.”

Once she had filled out her order, and finished paying, they wished her a happy holidays, and were on their way. 

Honestly, the old lady was nothing but a small part of why their volunteer work was eventful. They met a great deal of amazing, kind, funny, albeit strange people. It was a holiday tradition for them to do some sort of charity work together, but this year, with the Women’s shelter was by far the best. They loved it, and they loved each other, and giving to those who needed it, expecting nothing in return was one of the best feelings ever. Charity was awesome, and so was December 8th, and honestly so was Christmas. 

 

(Hey all! This is my time to tell you that this is such an amazing season for charity work! If you're looking for somewhere to volunteer/donate, my favorites are food shelters, women’s shelters, Toys-For-Tots, and especially the Family Resource Center of your local high school. Learning is hard when you're cold and hungry and, especially if you live near/go to a Title 1 school, I promise that there is a kid that could use your time, your $20, or your old jacket. Happy holidays!)


End file.
